AFL under-18 national championships: Vic Country prove too good for Vic Metro

VICTORIA Country remains undefeated in the Under-18 national championships after a dominant victory over Metro at Simonds Stadium.

Vic Country v Vic Metro. Football, Kardinia Park Geelong. 25: Kurt Mutimer Picture: Mitch Bear

VICTORIA Country remains undefeated in the Under-18 national championships after a dominant victory over Metro at Simonds Stadium.

Their previous meeting was decided by a goal after the siren, but on Sunday afternoon Country stunned the city slickers with the first nine goals of the match to set up a 35-point win.

The solidly built Kieran Collins proved a wall in defence for Country and the standout player on the ground with 10 marks and 21 disposals.

The 193cm and 94kg key defender has now strung together three outstanding games in this carnival and he looks a ready-made AFL prospect.

Such was Collins’s dominance, Country had the luxury of sending his Dandenong Stingrays teammate and No.1 draft pick fancy Jacob Weitering into attack in the third quarter.

Darcy Parish gets a handball away. Picture: Mitch Bear

Missing key players Harley Balic and Jade Gresham, Metro was outgunned in the midfield where Country’s Rhys Mathieson (23), Jarrod Berry (26), Dan Capiron (22) and Thomas Cole shone.

Highly rated midfielder Darcy Parish, who missed the opening two fixtures with a broken thumb, kicked a clever goal in the first term and finished with 25 classy disposals.

2014 All-Australian Darcy Tucker returned to halfback and form, gathering 26 disposals in his best performance of the tournament.

After slotting eight goals in the win over Western Australia last week, Josh Schache could only manage two majors, but he was a force in the air with eight marks and 18 possessions.

Small forwards Jy Simpkin and the electric Ben Ainsworth also kicked two goals each.

Jarrad Smith and Josh Schache battle in the ruck.

Metro trailed by 58 points midway through the second term, but proceeded to kick five of the next six goals and peg the margin back to 29 points early in the final term.

The navy blue side won two of the four quarters, but Country’s six-goal opening term meant the game was always out of their reach.

Nick O’Kearney tried hard for his 18 disposals and two goals, while underage forward Jordan Gallucci was the only other multiple goalscorer.

Oakleigh Charger Alex Morgan provided some resistance at halfback, while Fraser Pearce (21 disposals) and Matthew Perry (25) provided dash between the arcs.

The only concern for Country was a lower leg injury to big man Ryan Hearn, while Metro’s Ben Crocker hurt an ankle.

Father-son prospects Bailey Rice (injury) and Jack Silvagni (rested) did not play.

VIC COUNTRY: 6.7 9.7 12.12 14.14 (98)

VIC METRO: 0.1 3.4 6.7 9.9 (63)

GOALS

Vic Country: Schache 2, Simpkin 2, Ainsworth 2, Parish, Mathieson, Capiron, Brodie, Cole, Mutimer, Johnston, Weitering


Vic Metro: O’Kearney 2, Galluci 2, Cuningham, Crocker, Kerbatieh, Hardwick, McLarty

ADAM BALDWIN’S BEST

Vic Country: Collins, Mathieson, Parish, Tucker, Schache, Cole, Berry, Capiron

Vic Metro: O’Kearney, Pearce, Perry, Gallucci, Crocker

Originally published as AFL under-18 national championships: Vic Country prove too good for Vic Metro